Indicator for photographic apparatus



Jan. 28, 1941. P. HARTER ETAL INDICATOR FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FiledMarch 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l s m m mm u MM 7 A 0 A E k w: P6 Q w mu)mwm Na i Qm Rw m W7 m h Qh \h mu NM, \N 3 Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE .Paul Harter and Georg Luckow,

Wangen, Germany,

Stuttgartassignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey Application March 28,

1940, Serial No. 326,450

In Germany March 11, 1939 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an indicator for photographic apparatusand more particularly to an indicator which is moved into the finderfield of said apparatus either upon ejecal tion of the film holder orwhen the film footage indicator is moved to a predetermined position.

Film footage indicators which may be observed through the finder of theapparatus are known to the motion picture art. It is also known thatejectors may beused for film holders in the apparatus. However, thus farthe combination of a footage indicator moved into the finder fieldeither by an ejector or by a film footage indicator has not beenproposed.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of anindicating means movable into the view finder field of a photographicapparatus either by the film footage indicator or by the ejecting meansfor a film holder in the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a manuallyreleasable catch means for maintaining the indicating means in thefinder field only after said indicating means has been moved into thefinder field by the film holder ejector.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an indicatingmeans comprising a lever arm having a colored translucent portion whichis moved into the finder field either by the footage indicator or filmholder ejector so as to advise the operator that an abnormalconditionexists.

Other and further objects of the invention will be suggested to thoseskilled in the art by the following disclosure. i

The above and other objects of the invention are embodied in aphotographic apparatus comprising in combination, a casing providing afilm compartment, 9. film footage indicator for showing the amount offilm on a film holder in said compartment, a view finder having a fieldof view which is observed for use of said apparatus, an indicating meansmovable into the field of view of the finder by said footage indicator,and an ejecting means for displacing a film holder with respect to saidfilm compartment and also for moving said indicating means into thefinder field upon ejection of a film holder.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein similarreference characters designate similar elements and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a. rear elevation of a photographic apparatus equipped withthe indicating means of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in partial section of a photographic camerahaving an indicating means operated by an ejector or'footage indicator.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the apparatus and 5 a partial transversesection taken on the line 8-3 -of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the camera casing with the cover open andshowing the footage indicator available for manual movement.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rear cover plate within the camera andparticularly showing the manually releasable catch thereon.

While the invention is disclosed with respect to a magazine type ofphotographic apparatus, 15 it is to be understood that the invention mayalso be used with any type of photographic apparatus having a footageindicator and in which an ejecting means is used for displacement of thefilm holder such as a film magazine or a film 20 spool. In theillustrated embodiment of the invention, the camera casing I!) has aside wall H and a rear lateral wall l2. A mechanism plate l3 extendslongitudinally through said casing 10 and carries posts I to which isfastened a rear 25 cover plate l5. Said mechanism plate l3 and coverplate 15 form, together with other members not shown, a magazine chamberl6 adapted to receive a film magazine H. A casing cover l8 engages theedges of casing III in light-tight relation, encloses said magazinechamber l6 and covers the rear cover plate l5. Said casing cover I 8 isfastened in any suitable manner to the camera casing l0 and carries aspring IQ for resiliently engaging and positioning the film magazineIl'within compartment or chamber IS. A spring member 20' is mounted onmechanism plate l3 and engages a wall of the film magazine I! to assistin locating the same within said chamber IS.

The camera casing I0 is provided in a well known manner with a viewfinder. Such view finder is preferably of the direct-view type andincludes a rear sight member 2| mounted upon the rear lateral wall I201' casing l0 and includ- (5 ing a sight opening 22 through which thefield of view of the finder may be observed.

A film footage indicator is also provided for the purpose of showing theamount of film on a film holder in the film compartment. Such film 60footage indicator is preferably of the gear driven type but may be ofany of the types which are well known in the art. Specifically, the filmfootage indicator may comprise a disk 23 having a serrated periphery 24and mounted upon one end I of a shaft 25. An auxiliary plate 26 isfastened to mechanism plate l3 by screws 21 and has a pair of lugs 28formed therefrom. Collars 29 on shaft 25 prevent axial movement thereofand a. spider spring member 30 is inserted between one of said collars29 and a crown gear 3| freely rotatable on shaft 25 and urged by springmember 30 into frictional engagement with the disk 23. An intermediateassembly comprises a transverse shaft 32 journaled in a bushing 33 onmechanism plate I3, includes a star wheel 34 attached to one end ofshaft 32 and intermittently rotated by studs 35 on the casing of thespring motor 36, and includes a worm gear 31 on the other end of shaft32 and meshing with the teeth of crown ear 3|. A peripheral portion 23',see Fig. 4, of disk 23 extends beyond the edge of rear lateral wall l2for manual operation of disk 23. However, casing cover H3 in its closedposition covers said peripheral portion 23 so that disk 23 cannot bemanually operated when the casing cover H3 is closed.

As a result of the film footage indicator just described, the operatoris advised of the amount of film on a film holder in the filmcompartment such as the amount of film in magazine I! within magazinechamber I6. Advancement of the film through the apparatus corresponds ina known manner with the rotation of the spring motor 35 so that for agiven movement of the film through the apparatus or film holder thereinone or more of the studs 35 engage and move a tooth of star wheel 34.Upon rotation of star wheel 34, shaft 32 and worm gear 31 are rotated.Rotation of the worm gear 31 also rotates crown gear 3| and disk 23 isrotated by virtue of the frictional connection between crown gear 3| anddisk 23. On the other hand, such frictional connection permits manualmovement or setting of the disk 23 when the casing cover I8 is open. Therear lateral wall H is provided with an opening 38 which is enclosed bya bezel 39 carrying a mask 40 having an index pointer 4|. The rearsurface of disk 23 is provided with a series of radial graduations 42and corresponding footage numerals. Consequently, upon rotation of disk23 the amount of film movement or the amount of film remaining in thefilm holder may be observed. The disk 23 carries on its rear surface apin 43 which is located in definite relation to the graduations 42 andfor a purpose to be later described.

It will be noted, see Figs. 1 and 4, that the rear sight member 2| andrear sight opening 22 of the view finder are near or adjacent to theopening 38 through which the footage indications are observed.Consequently, the operator maymomentarily, during the operation of theapparatus, glance from the view finder to the footage indicator anddetermine the amount of film remaining in the apparatus or the amount offilm that has been consumed in the particular picture sequence.

An ejector means for displacing a film holder with respect to the filmcompartment may comprise an ejector arm 44 pivoted bya screw 45 to a lug46 on mechanism plate l3 and includes a plunger 41 mounted in a sleeve48 on rear cover plate I5, said plunger 41 being preferably springpressed upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring memberwhich is not shown. It will be noted that plunger 41 of the ejectingmeans can only be operated when the casing cover I8 is open. When saidplunger 4'! is operated or pushed downwardly by the operator, one end 44of the ejector arm 44 is also moved downwardly hooked around an ear 55of bracket 52.

so that the other end 44" of ejector arm 44 is moved through the slot 49in mechanism plate I3 and the film magazine I! is displaced with respectto the magazine chamber l6 and spring member 20. The ejecting means maybe designed only to displace the magazine H with respect to the magazinechamber l5 so that it may be more readily removed by hand or may bedesigned completely to eject the film holder from the film compartment.

Since the attention of the operator of a photographic apparatus andparticularly a motion picture camera is divided for observation ofseveral different controls or indicators, the present invention isdirected to giving a warning to the operator that an abnormal conditionexists and should be corrected or remedied. To this end an indicatingmeans is arranged for movement into the field of View of the view finderand is so moved to obstruct or obscure observation through the viewfinder when further operation of the apparatus can only result infailure. Such an indicating means can be provided in any of severalways, one of which is shown herein. A lever arm 50 is pivotally mountedat one end by a shouldered pin 5| to a bracket 52 attached to mechanismplate I3. A coil spring.53 encircles the shoulder of pin 5|, has one endbearing upon a pin 54 upon lever arm 5|], and has its other end As aresult, the lever arm is normally urged in a clockwise direction, seeFig. 1, or out of the field of the view finder. The free end of leverarm 50 carries a shutter or screen for preventing or obscuringobservationof the finder field, preferably a colored translucent portionor sheet 56 is mounted on the free end of lever arm 50 for imparting acolored appearance, such as red, to the view observed through thefinder. Movement of the lever arm 50 by the coil spring 53 or by otherdevices to be described is limited by means of a stud 51 on lever arm 50and extending rearwardly through an arcuate slot 58 in bracket 52.

The lever arm 50 of the indicating means carries an off-set projection59 which is located and arranged so as to be engaged by the pin 43 onthe rear of footage disk 23. As before mentioned, pin 43 has a definitelocation with respect to the footage graduations 42 on the other side ofdisk 23 so that when the film footage indicator or disk 23 is moved to apredetermined position the indicating means is moved into the finderfield. More specifically, when the "0 footage graduation is opposite theindex pointer 4|, the pin 43 engages off-set projection 59 to raiselever arm 50 and to place the colored transparent sheet 56 in the fieldof the view finder or in front of the rear ight opening 22 thereof. Thusthe indicating means advises the operator that the film in the filmholder is exhausted and such indicating means cannot be removed from thefinder field until the casing cover I8 is opened and the footage disk 23is manually reset.

In order to insure against operation of the ap- 44. The other arm ofbell crank 60 has an off-set portion 64 carrying a projection 65 whichis adapted to engage the stud 51 on lever arm 50. Thus when plunger 41is depressed for operation of ejector arm 44 and displacement of thefilm holder with respect to the film compartment, bell crank 60 isrotated in a counter-clockwise direction, see Fig. 2, by engagement ofthe end 44 of ejector arm 44 with-inclined portion 63 and projection 65is moved upwardly to engage stud 51 and move lever arm 50 so that itscolored translucent sheet 56 is moved into the finder field or front ofthe rear sight opening 22 of the view finder.

Since the ejecting means may be released before a full film holder isplaced in the apparatus, it is preferable to provide a catch means forholding the indicating means in the finder field only after it has beenmoved into such field by the ejecting means. Such a catch meanscomprises a latch bar 66 slldably mounted on rear cover plate l5 andhaving an off-set projection 61 adapted to engage the projection 65 ofbell crank 60. The latch bar 66 is provided in one end with a slot 68engaging a headed stud 69 on the undersuriace of cover plate l5 andcarries a fingerpiece 10 having a stem which extends through a slot H insaid cover plate l5. Said latch bar 66 and its oil-set portion 61 arenormally urged toward the projection 65 of bell crank 60 by a spring 12attached at one end to latch bar and attached at the other end to a pin13 depending from rear cover plate I5.

Under normal conditions, see Fig. 3, the off-set projection 61 of latchbar 66 bears against the projection 65 of bell crank 60. Upon operationof the ejecting means and movement of the projection 65 against stud 51to raise the colored translucent sheet 56 of lever arm 50 into thefinder field, said projection 65 is moved beyond the off-set projection61 whereupon the spring '12 moves oif-set projection 6! beyond the edgeof projection 65 to hold the lever arm 50 of the indicating means inraised position. Thus if the operator forgets to insert a refilled filmholder,

he will be advised of an abnormal condition as.

soon as observation through the view finder is made. This warning of anabnormal condition continues until the catch means is manually releasedby movement of the finger-piece l0 and off-set projection 61 away fromthe projection 65 to permit return of the lever arm 50 and bell crank 60under the action of coil spring 53 to their normal positions.

It will now be understood that theindicating means or colored portionthereof may be moved into the finder field either when the film footageindicator is in a predetermined position or when the ejecting means isoperated to displace a film holder with respect to the film compartmentof the apparatus. 11 the indicating means has been moved into the finderfield by the film footage indicator, it may be removed therefrom merelyby resetting of the indicator or manual movement of disk 23. On theother hand, if the indicating means has been moved into the finder fieldby the ejecting means, the manually releasable catch means will notpermit return of the indicating means to its normal position out of thefinder field until the operator moves such catch means.

By thus requiring this additional step, the operator is reminded that anew film holder should be placed in the film compartment.

Since the present invention is susceptible of many variations, thepresent disclosure is merely illustrative and the scope of the inventionis defined in the appended claims.

Having now particularly described our invention what wedesire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States and what we claim is:

1. In a photographic apparatus, the combina tion with a casing providinga film compartment, a film footage indicator for showing the amount offilm on a film holder in said compartment, a view finder having a fieldof view which is observed for use of said apparatus, and an indicatingmeans mounted for movement with respect to said view finder and movedinto the field of view thereof by movement of said footage indicator toa predetermined position, of an ejector movable into an ejectingposition to displace a film holder with respect to said filmcompartment, and a motion transmitting means operated by movement ofsaid ejector to ejecting position and for moving said indicating meansinto the finder field.

2. In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a casing providinga film compartment, a film footage indicator for showing the amount offilm on a film holder in said compartment, a view finder having a fieldof view which is observed for use of said apparatus, and an indicatingmeans mounted for movement with respect to said view finder and movedinto the field of view thereof by movement of said footage indicator toa predetermined position, of an ejector movable into an ejectingposition to displace a film holder with respect to said filmcompartment, a motion transmitting means operated by movement of saidejector to ejecting position and for moving said indicating means intothe finder field, anda manually operable catch means arranged on saidcasing normally to engage said motion transmitting means and to hold itwith said indicating means in said finder field.

3. In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a casing providinga film chamber, a view finder on said casing and through whichobservations are made during operation of said apparatus, and anejecting means on said casing for displacing a film holder with respectto said chamber, of an indicating means movable into said view finder bymovement of said ejecting means for displacement of a film holder, and amanually operable catch means arranged on said casing normally to engagesaid ejecting means and to hold it with said indicating means in thefinder field.

4. In a photographic apparatus of the magazine type, the combinationwith a casing providing a magazine chamber, a film footage indicator forshowing the amount of film on a film holder in said chamber, an ejectingmeans on said casing and movable to displace a film holder with respectto said magazine chamber, and a view finder having a field of view whichis observed for use of said apparatus, of a lever arm having a coloredtranslucent portion, normally outside of said finder field and arrangedto be moved thereinto individually by movement of said ejecting meansfor displacement of a film holder and by movement of said footageindicator to a predetermined position.

PAUL HARTER.

GEORG LUCKOW.

